Bending apparatus

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a hydraulically actuated bending apparatus, such as for wire, cable or pipe bending, and includes an adjustment means for adjusting the apparatus for accommodating various sizes or diameters of pipes or cables.

StaEes atent 1191 Hagemeyer 1 June 4, 1974 1 BENDING APPARATUS 2,852,064 9/1958 Weber et a1. 72/217 75 Inventor: Kenneth L. Hagemeyer, Rockford, gjjj jjj 3,724,258 4/1973 Hofstede 72/388 1 Assigneel Greenlee Bros- & Company, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Rockford 568,431 6/1958 Belgium 72/217 [22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1973 [211 Appl. No.: 326,219

52 us. (:1. 72/318, 72/388 [51] Int. Cl 821d 9/05 [58] Field of Search 72/318, 217, 219, 388

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,816,218 7/1931 Henry et al. 72/369 2,656,872 10/1953 Mann et al 72/388v Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant ExaminerM. J. Keenan 11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENIED 4 SIEEI 1 2 BENDING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 2. Description of the Prior Art The basic prior art is based on bench type benders or relatively large and bulky devices that are not conveniently small enough to handle with one hand. However, lately, cable and pipe benders have appeared which are small enough for one person to handle and perform the operations necessary to bend cable, wire or pipe. One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,430 issued Oct. 19, 1971, which is a hydraulically operated wire bending apparatus. However, to adjust for various sizes or diameters of wire the patent describes the addition of inserts to accommodate for sizes smaller than the apparatus is normally made for.

This invention relates to a bending apparatus, which is hydraulically operated to bend cable, wire or pipe to any desired angle from 1 to 90. The apparatus includes an adjustment means which moves the shoe contacting the cable or pipe to accommodate for any change in size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the present invention prior to bending a wire, cable or pipe;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the center line of the device showing a smaller cable or pipe being bent;

FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of the adjustment means; and

FIG. 4 is an end view showing the opening for the cable or pipe to be inserted through, or by which the apparatus can be attached to a length of pipe or cable with the shoe removed from the arm and then replaced thereon. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the bending apparatus 21 with a cable or pipe therein in dotted line. A hydraulic cylinder means 22 comprises a cylinder housing 23 having a closed end with an inlet port 28 connected thereto, and the other end of housing 23 being threadedly engaged at 24 to cylinder bracket 25. A yoke 33 is connected to ram or piston 35 by shoulder bolt 37.

r The cylinder bracket 25 includes a pair of extensions 26 having a bore normal thereto with support pin 27 extending through and held by a retaining ring 31. A first workpiece engaging support 32 is retained on the support pin 27 between the cylinder bracket extensions 26 along with one end oflong link 29. The ends of each of two long links 29 lies on the either side of the cylinder bracket extensions 26 and is retained by the support pin 27.

The yoke 33 includes extensions 41 which comprises a bore 42 normal to the extensions 41 for insertion of a yoke stud 39. The yoke stud 39 is retained by a hex nut 45 or by other means.

The improvement of this apparatus consists of the adjustment means 43, which comprises a connecting rod 47 with an internal threaded bore 49. The connecting rod 47 has a bore 50 in which yoke stud 39 extends through to hold the adjustment means 43 in relationship to the movement of the yoke 33 by means of ram extensions 41. The adjusting screw 51 has a threaded portion 53 and a pin end 55, including a shoulder portion 56, and a thumb wheel 54 intermediate the threaded insert end 52 and pin end 55. The pin end 55 turns freely, as the thumb wheel 54 is turned, in bore 57 of trunnion 59, and is restrained from removal only by retaining ring 61.

- Each end 58 of trunnion 59 extends into upper bore 65 on an arm 63. The center bore 67 of arm 63 retains support stud 69. The support stud 69 supports the sec ond workpiece engaging support 73 and extends through bore 90 of short links 91 located on either side of the support 73 and is retained thereby with an acorn nut7l, as shown in FIG. 3.

A slot 75 in the lower end of arm 63 provides for insertion and removal of wheel or shoe 77. As shown in FIG. 4, wheel or shoe 77 has a concave surface 79, or semi-circular, which can generally be the same shape and general size as the cable or pipe being bent. The shoe 77 has axial pin 80 with recess 81 for sliding into recessed slot 75 of arm 63. The shoulder 83 of pin 80 prevents axial movement of the shoe 77. The shoe 77 is detachably retained to arm 63 by means of spring biased detent means 97 on each side of shoe 77. The de- Y tent means engage hole 98 in arm 63, and prevents rotationof the shoe. However, the shoe can be from the slot with slight pressure.

A short link 91 is connected at one end to the yoke stud 39 and at the other end to the support stud 69' of arm 63, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

IN OPERATION Pressure is applied to cylinder 22, which moves ram 35, to the left when looking at FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and moves arm 63, through short link 91 in a counterclockwise direction. Arm 63 pivots about the axis of support stud 69 because of stationary long link 29, which is connected to the cylinder bracket extensions 26 by means of support pin 27. The workpiece holding means consists of cable or pipe abutting surfaces of support 73 removed and shoe 77, and movement of arm 63 in a counterclockwise direction causes cable or pipe to bend at an angle relative to the support 32 which is stationary by means of being connected to bracket 25 of cylinder means 22. That is, the three points of contact to the cable or pipe are at movable support 73 and movable shoe 77, and stationary support 32. Angular movement of the workpiece holding means, i.e., support 73 and shoe 77, by means of short link 91 and adjustment means 43 connected to the yoke of cylinder 22 causes the cable or pipe to bend at an angle determined by stationary support 32 and distance of ram movement.

FIG. 2 shows the adjustment means extended and a compensating movement thereby of the wheel or shoe 77 about the axis of support stud 69, which then makes the opening 85, as shown in FIG. 4, smaller, thus accommodating smaller pipe or cable sizes.

What is claimed is:

1. A bending apparatus adapted to bend cable or pipe, comprising:

a. actuating means having an extendable and retractable ram;

b. first workpiece engaging means (32) connected to said actuating means and adapted to abut said cable or pipe;

0. long link means connected to said actuating means;

d. arm means connected intermediate its ends to the other end of said long link means;

e. short link means connected at one end to said extendable and retractable ram means and at the other end to said intermediate end of said arm;

f. a second workpiece engaging means (73) connected to said short link means and said long link means and being pivoted on the axis of said intermediate end of said arm;

g. shoe means detachable retained at one end of said arm; and

h. adjustments means connected at one end to said extendable and retractable ram means, and the other end connected to the other end of said arm.

2. The apparatus according to claim I wherein said adjustment means, comprises:

a. connecting rod having an internal threaded bore at one end and a bore normal to the axis ofthe connecting rod at the other'end; and

b. an adjusting screw means having a threaded insert at one end and a circular pin at the other end connected a trunnion means connected to said one end of said arm.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said detachable shoe means includes different sizes thereby accommodating different cable or pipe diameters.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said detachable shoe means is a wheel.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said wheel includes a concave surface.

6. A bending apparatus, comprising:

a. actuating means having an extendable and retractable ram;

b. workpiece holding means adapted to grip a memher to be bent;

c. first workpiece engaging means attached to said actuating means for engaging said member to be bent;

d. first linkage means (29) movably connecting'said workpiece holding means to said actuating means;

e. second linkage means (91) connecting said workpiece holding means to said actuating means;

f. said first and second linkage means adapted to move said workpiece holding means in a predetermined curved path whereby said member held within said holding means will be bent accordingly; and

g. adjustment means connected to said actuating means and said workpiece holding means, whereby changes in the length of said adjustment means pivots said holding means in a manner as to accommodate members having different diameters.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said workpiece holding means. comprises:

a. support means; and

b. a shoe 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said shoe is detachably retained thereon, whereby said apparatus is insertable over a member to be bent and said shoe is then reattached thereon in abutting relationship to grip said member.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said detachable shoe is of varying sizes for different size of workpiece members to be bent.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said shoe is a wheel.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said wheel has a concave surface. 

1. A bending apparatus adapted to bend cable or pipe, comprising: a. actuating means having an extendable and retractable ram; b. first workpiece engaging means (32) connected to said actuating means and adapted to abut said cable or pipe; c. long link means connected to said actuating means; d. arm means connected intermediate its ends to the other end of said long link means; e. short link means connected at one end to said extendable and retractable ram means and at the other end to said intermediate end of said arm; f. a second workpiece engaging means (73) connected to said short link means and said long link means and being pivoted on the axis of said intermediate end of said arm; g. shoe means detachable retained at one end of said arm; and h. adjustments means connected at one end to said extendable and retractable ram means, and the other end connected to the other end of said arm.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said adjustment means, comprises: a. connecting rod having an internal threaded bore at one end and a bore normal to The axis of the connecting rod at the other end; and b. an adjusting screw means having a threaded insert at one end and a circular pin at the other end connected a trunnion means connected to said one end of said arm.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said detachable shoe means includes different sizes thereby accommodating different cable or pipe diameters.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said detachable shoe means is a wheel.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said wheel includes a concave surface.
 6. A bending apparatus, comprising: a. actuating means having an extendable and retractable ram; b. workpiece holding means adapted to grip a member to be bent; c. first workpiece engaging means attached to said actuating means for engaging said member to be bent; d. first linkage means (29) movably connecting said workpiece holding means to said actuating means; e. second linkage means (91) connecting said workpiece holding means to said actuating means; f. said first and second linkage means adapted to move said workpiece holding means in a predetermined curved path whereby said member held within said holding means will be bent accordingly; and g. adjustment means connected to said actuating means and said workpiece holding means, whereby changes in the length of said adjustment means pivots said holding means in a manner as to accommodate members having different diameters.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said workpiece holding means, comprises: a. support means; and b. a shoe
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said shoe is detachably retained thereon, whereby said apparatus is insertable over a member to be bent and said shoe is then re-attached thereon in abutting relationship to grip said member.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said detachable shoe is of varying sizes for different size of workpiece members to be bent.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said shoe is a wheel.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said wheel has a concave surface. 